The Woes of Petunia Dursley
by ginnygirl87
Summary: What will happen when Petunia Dursley finds out that her granddaughter is a witch?
1. Chapter 1

Notice: I do not own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling does. P.S. I REALLY appreciate reviews and opinions...they will help me to know what to do with the characters!

**The Woes of Petunia Dursley**

**Chapter 1: A Surprising Discovery**

"Do we have to go?"

It was a question that Harry had expected to hear-it was always asked whenever he and his family went to visit his only blood relatives, the Dursleys.

"Yes James. But we're only seeing Cousin Dudley and his family this time."

His three children did not look at all appeased at this. Harry grinned at his wife and then turned back to his kids.

"C'mon, the new baby will be there!" He said encouragingly. Lily's interest seemed to be sparked, but James let out a groan and rolled his eyes. "Bet it looks like a big pink beach ball."

Albus sniggered at this, and Lily looked slightly put down.

"Now James, don't you dare go saying things like that when we get to the house!" warned Ginny.

"Yes, I hope you all will try your best to behave yourselves this time," Harry addressed his kids, but stared meaningfully at James. The last time he had taken his kids to visit the Dursleys, James had let loose a decoy detonator during a lull in the conversation at dinner.

"Okay, I'll _try_," he muttered dejectedly, as Albus and Lily nodded silently.

"Good." said Ginny as she picked up her Christmas cookies.

"Alright, everybody in the car then." said Harry, and they all stepped outside in the cold night air and got into the car that the ministry had provided.

As Harry drove along in a slight snowfall (thank goodness for Ginny and her water resistant spell for the windshield) he couldn't help thinking about Dudley and how he had changed over the years.

About the same time that Voldemort had been defeated, Dudley had had enough of his job working for his father at Grunnings. Without many options, he had decided to join the British army. He had barely made it through training, but had gone on to serve in the conflict in Iraq. He had come back more in shape then Harry had ever seen him (but still huge in his frame) and a little rough around the edges. Now he was working at a small supermarket where he had met his wife Carol, a dull but sweet woman whom Harry and Ginny both liked. When Harry had seen him last, Dudley and Carol had just announced to the whole family that Carol was pregnant. Aunt Petunia was elated and had practically attacked Carol with congratulations and questions. Uncle Vernon was also pleased and declared that he was sure his son's child would turn out better than "his lot," as he glanced at Harry and his children. At this, James shouted "HEY!" and Harry had to force him from jumping out of his chair. Needless to say, Harry was glad that his aunt and uncle weren't coming tonight. It was only at Dudley's urging that they would come under the same roof as Harry anyway. Harry appreciated the effort, but rather wished his cousin would invite them for separate visits. They seemed to despise him as much as ever.

So it was with hope for a better visit this time around that Harry pulled the car into the driveway of Dudley and Carol's condominium. They were greeted warmly by Dudley and Carol as the led the Potters into their home. Carol told them that the baby, Nicole Petunia Dursley, was sleeping at the moment. "We named her after our mothers—Nicole for my mum and Petunia for Dudley's."

Lily, disappointed by the lack of the baby's appearance, asked where she was. "Can I at least _look _at her? I promise I won't wake her."

Carol led Lily and Ginny into the little bedroom and open the door slightly. It seemed that the baby was either a light sleeper or could sense their presence for she suddenly opened her eyes wide and began to babble softly at them.

"Are we awake then, my little Nikki?" cooed Carol. "Come and meet your cousins then!"

They spent the evening visiting and Ginny, Carol, Dudley and Harry took turns holding the baby. Ginny and Lily were delighted to find that Nikki couldn't get enough of them. When Dudley held her, she watched them like a hawk and tried to go to them. Harry couldn't help but notice that Dudley looked rather apprehensive and concerned whenever it was his turn to hold the baby. He supposed he must still be getting used to being a father.

As the evening wore on, it seemed that James and Albus got into about everything in the house, finally settling in to watching TV. Harry supposed it was just as well—anything to keep them out of trouble was a welcome distraction.

Then, when Ginny and Carol were in a heated discussion about baby milestones and Lily was playing peek-a-boo with Nikki, Dudley came over to Harry. "Can I have a word?" he asked. Harry saw the same look of worry etched in his cousin's face. "Sure."

They stepped out to the dining room. Harry wondered if Dudley was about to ask him parenting advice. Slightly amused, he said, "What is it Dud?"

"It's Nikki." he whispered. "There's something-well-odd about her."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Look Dud, she seems perfectly alright to me-"

"No, no you don't understand!" Dudley muttered, glancing toward the living room. "Listen, I haven't told the wife yet, but something happened the other day when she was out. Naturally I was left home with Nikki. I was playing with her with her rattle. She didn't seem to like it—in fact I'm not sure she ever did—but when I handed it to her a strange thing happened." Dudley moved in closer to Harry. "She threw it and it—well—flew, literally FLEW into the next room." He looked expectantly at Harry.

"Well I guess if she didn't like it…" Harry started. "Maybe she has a good throwing arm?"

But Dudley was shaking his head. "No—this was—different. It was," he hesitated. "It was magic. I'm sure of it. Remember that time that you flew up on the roof Harry? It was just like that, only with the rattle!"

Harry was looking at Dudley, stunned. He wasn't sure what surprised him more—that Dudley had remember the incident that had happened so long ago or the fact that he was claiming that his daughter was a witch.

"No." said Harry. "It—it couldn't be." He now realized why Dudley had been so apprehensive before when holding Nikki. He was still somewhat frightened by magic.

Both Dudley and Carol were the epitome of the typical muggle family—it couldn't be that their daughter was a witch. Could it?

**So? What do you think? This is my first fanfic. Also...what do YOU think should happen when Petunia finds out? And what House should Nikki be in? Slytherin? Hufflepuff? My inclinations are towards Hufflepuff because neither parent seems smart enough to be in Ravenclaw, nor brave enough to be in Gryffindor. Your opinions are appreciated! Thanks! ~Ginnygirl87**


	2. Chapter 2

**Notice: I do not own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling does. P.S. I REALLY appreciate reviews and opinions...they will help me to know what to do with the characters!**

**Also, a special thank you goes out to Rehema for all of his/her opinions! I really appreciated it! Thank you also to mwinter1, SarahHunterOfArtemis, and Zireael07 for their encouraging reviews!**

**Chapter 2: Continuing the Conversation**

Harry concluded in his mind that it could. After all, Hermione came from an all muggle family as well. Nikki had more magic blood running through her veins than Hermione, if it were to come to that.

"It's true, I know it is." Dudley moaned. "Harry, what do I do? I don't know how to handle something like this. And when mum finds out—well, you know mum—she'll hate Nikki. She loves her now—we named her Nicole PETUNIA after all—but after she finds out? And Carol—she won't understand…" Dudley was running his fingers through his hair. "What do I DO Harry?"

Harry wasn't sure what to say. He had never, ever expected this. How in the world could a Dursley have magic? It was so against the laws of nature that it made Harry slightly incredulous.

"Are you sure you're not overreacting?" asked Harry.

Dudley nodded. "I'm sure."

Harry looked at Dudley's worried face. Then, suddenly, he smiled. "Don't do anything different Dudley. She's still your daughter, isn't she? So just act naturally."

"But…what about the magic?" Dudley said in a worried voice.

"She won't know how to properly use it until she's had training. An underage witch or wizard doesn't usually show magic unless they're under duress or they find a great desire to do so."

"And she—she can't hurt us?" Dudley asked. In an instant, Harry knew that this is what had been troubling him the most. He was afraid of what the baby could do to him and especially his wife.

"No, no of course not." Harry replied. "Why would she? She's going to love you two. She already does."

"Okay." Dudley looked immensely relieved.

"But," Harry said, "You'll probably have to tell your wife soon."

Dudley gulped. "Do you think you could—er—help me?"

"Well it's really between you and your wife, don't you think?"

"I don't think she'll believe me." Dudley said shakily.

"Just tell her what you told me." Harry said simply.

"I—don't think she'll believe me as easily as you did. She's only seen magic a few small times, and I don't think she understood what was happening."

"Wait…so she never figured out why so many strange things happen when my family comes over?" Harry looked at Dudley questioningly. He shook his head. "I mean, c'mon! Uncle Vernon always talks negatively about us, even in our presence, stuff about 'his lot'. She doesn't know why your parents don't like me? And James made the light above the dining table burst just last year!"

"No. She doesn't get it. I mean sure, she notices, but she doesn't understand. She always tries her best to get my parents to treat you decently. She hates it and always asks me what happened between you and them. And the magic she's seen…most of it could be written off…electrical surges, too much pressure applied to a dinner glass…stuff like that."

"Oi. This'll be harder than I thought." Harry thought for a moment. "Maybe you should wait until she does something in front of Carol. Then you could explain things."

Dudley looked uneasy.

"Or I could explain things." Harry said hesitantly. "Or…you could wait until she's eleven. Someone from Hogwarts would be around to explain things to you then."

"So…she'll be accepted to—to that school? You're sure?"

"Yeah—if she displays magic, like you've said." Harry replied.

"Wow." Dudley exclaimed quietly.

"Now that I think about it, there is a way we can know for sure." Harry said.

"What? How?" Dudley looked up, surprised.

"I can check at the registry at Hogwarts. They keep track of all the magical children that are born." Harry explained. "In fact, maybe I could get someone from Hogwarts to come and explain your daughter's abilities to you and Carol."

"Oh. I guess you could check, although I'm pretty sure she has magic. And…someone from—from Hogwarts…" Dudley stumbled over the words.

"Don't worry Dud," Harry laughed, "no one's coming to give you another pig's tail."

Dudley flushed bright red.

"I can explain it to Carol instead, if you want." Harry offered.

"I'd like that better," Dudley said, "but not because of what you said. Because she knows you. You're family."

"Okay. By the way Dud…I'm glad we're on better terms than we used to be." Harry confided.

Dudley flushed a shade redder, if possible. "Me too, Harry. Me too."

"So…when shall we do this?" Harry asked.

"Er…maybe later." Dudley said, looking nervous.

"Hey, I know. We're having a New Year's party at the house. Why don't you and Carol come early and we can talk about it then. Plus, if we do it that way, you can enjoy fireworks like you never have before!" Dudley looked unsure. "C'mon, the sooner it's over, the better."

"Alright. But-"

Dudley was cut off as Carol poked her head into the room. "Everything okay in here, boys?" she asked.

"Fine. We're coming out now. Harry was just telling me about a party for New Years at his house." Dudley said.

"Great! We should definitely go!" Carol exclaimed.

"Okay then," said Harry, as Dudley gave him an exasperated look. "It's settled."

**SO...it looks like Carol is a few days away from finding out about her daughter! And I have just the right thing in mind for when Petunia finds out. It will be EPIC. :)**

**P.S. I enjoy your reviews! Question..what House do you think Nikki should be in? Keep your reviews coming! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Notice: I do not own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling does. P.S. I REALLY appreciate reviews and opinions...they will help me to know what to do with the characters!**

**Chapter 3: A Confirmation and an Explanation**

"What?" exclaimed Ginny that night.

"Shh!" Harry urged her. "You'll wake the kids!"

"Okay, okay. But—seriously Harry. A Dursley—a DURSLEY? They're the most non-magical people that I've ever met!"

"I know." Said Harry. "I'm not quite sure I believe it myself. I'll have to see her name in the registry with my own eyes in order to fully believe it."

"Wow." Ginny said. "So now what? How did Carol react?"

"She…doesn't know yet."

"He didn't tell her?" asked Ginny, confused.

"No. See, she isn't really aware of magic as of yet. Whenever things happened when we were over, she really didn't think much of it."

"But…your aunt and uncle's obvious dislike for us…you can't just write that off."

"Yeah…apparently she's asked him about that. Now that you mention it, I wonder what Dudley's reasoning was…" Harry trailed.

"What about the things that James and Albus have done? I mean, I know she isn't that bright but…that was magic staring her right in the face!"

"I know, I know. Apparently he was able to convince her otherwise." said Harry.

"Wow." Ginny said yet again. "And your aunt and uncle?"

"No, of _course_ they don't know." Harry laughed nervously. "And I believe he intends to keep it that way as long as possible."

"I don't blame him. Can you imagine the look on Vernon's face?" Ginny said, amused.

"Yes. Maybe you'll finally get to see the full palette of colors my uncle's face can achieve." joked Harry.

Ginny smiled, then sighed. "I have a feeling that this is going to be an interesting turn of events. For all of us."

Harry couldn't help but agree with her.

One glance at the registry told Harry all he needed to know.

It took a bit of persuading for Harry to convince McGonagall, who was now Headmistress, to allow him to look at the baby registry, but in the end, she caved in. After all, being Harry Potter—the boy who lived, the Chosen One, the one who defeated the Dark Lord (and saved the school in the process)—had its benefits.

Nicole Petunia Dursley was a witch.

Harry called Dudley to confirm his suspicions. He and Ginny were still in a bit of a shock. They both agreed not to tell the kids this new bit of information. No doubt James would shout it at Uncle Vernon the next time he saw him, wreaking havoc within the family.

When Carol was told the afternoon of New Years Eve, she took it a lot better than any of them had expected. At first she just blinked stupidly at them all, then turned to Dudley. "Then…magic…exists?"

At this, Ginny turned and apparated on the spot, then reappeared seconds later. To further prove a point, Harry levitated a book off of the coffee table with a quick swish and flick of his wand. Wide eyed and mouth open, Carol looked at them, stunned. Then began the questions.

"And…Nikki will be able to do this?" Dudley and Carol both looked at Harry. He nodded.

"Wow." said Dudley. Harry couldn't help but chuckle at the number of times 'wow' had popped up that week.

"But then—why can't _we _do magic? And why haven't we heard about magical people before?" asked Carol.

"Because. Some people are born with magical talents and some are not. Perhaps it's the small bit of magical blood from my mom's family, or, for some reason she was just destined to have magic. No one really knows for sure. And the answer to your other question is simple, really. If everyone knew that magic exists, then everyone without magic would constantly be after witches and wizards to do things for them. Also, in the past, people with magical abilities were persecuted." answered Harry.

"Oh! Like being burned at the stake?" Carol asked, proud of the rediscovered knowledge.

"Exactly."

There was a small pause.

"This is—a lot to take in." Carol whispered.

"I know." Dudley said as he held his wife.

"There's something else." Harry said quietly. "Magic is the reason why my aunt and uncle hate me so much, and look down upon my family."

"What?" shouted Carol in surprise. "I just thought there was some sort of fall out. I always wondered what happened. I guess that makes sense." She turned to her husband. "But then…what about Nikki? They—they can't just not like her because of something she was born with. Can they?"

"Even though she _is_ their granddaughter, I think it would be wise to put off discussing this with them until the very last possible moment." Harry said, looking serious.

"After all," Ginny piped in as she looked at Carol's shocked and worried face, "Harry is their only nephew, and they've treated him poorly since he was a child."

"Oh-oh" Carol started crying, "That's just…awful! Are you _sure_ Nikki has magic? I don't want my daughter treated any differently!"

"Yes honey, Harry even checked it out for us." Dudley whispered. "We'll just have to keep this quiet for a while. Hopefully by the time they have to find out, Mom and Dad will have bonded with her enough that they _can't_ take it _too_ badly." He looked at Harry. "At least that's what I'm hoping."

"I think that's the best we can do." replied Harry.

Now all they could do was wait. Wait and delay the inevitable—the day that Vernon and Petunia would find out about their granddaughter's secret.

Unfortunately, that day was going to come a lot sooner than they expected.

**So…the ongoing question…what House do you think Nikki should be in? Keep your reviews coming! :)**

**Thanks, Ginnygirl87**


	4. Chapter 4

**Notice: I do not own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling does. P.S. I REALLY appreciate reviews and opinions...they will help me to know what to do with the characters!**

**Also, much thanks go out to ****Tasumi Castrogiovanni**** for his/her help with fixing previous chapters. Additionally, thanks to Rehema for his/her spotting of a misspelled name. And thanks to everyone else for their encouraging reviews!**

**P.S. Several of you want Nikki to be in Gryffindor. I'll keep that in consideration, but I make no promises! ;)**

**Chapter 4: Déjà vu **

They had hoped that the secret of Nikki's magical abilities would last until she was at least eleven. Then, when they couldn't explain her absence from home any longer, they'd tell Vernon and Petunia. Even then, Harry wondered if they couldn't just say that she was in another country as a foreign exchange student.

As soon as she was old enough to understand (at least somewhat), Carol warned her daughter to do the best she could to refrain from doing anything 'unusual' when she was around her grandparents. They never directly told her that the few things that she did do was magic because heaven knows that children love to brag about themselves, especially to their grandparents. Still, Harry knew that "refraining from magic" was practically impossible. If one was threatened or angered enough, they could do magic without meaning to. Thankfully, however, no magic spurts happened around Vernon and Petunia, and the family relaxed a little.

Perhaps they relaxed a little prematurely.

Petunia was particularly proud of her granddaughter, and spoiled her in every way possible. She made sure to feed her anything she wanted when she came to the house, complaining to Dudley that she was much too thin. Dudley would just tell her that she took after her grandma in build, which Petunia thought might be true. In fact, the little girl looked almost like a smaller version of herself, except that her eyes were hazel instead of Petunia's gray.

It was a beautiful, ordinary day when Carol was sick and had Petunia watch Nikki. Petunia didn't quite know what to do with a hyper five year old running around the house. It had been years since she'd had to take care of children her age on her own, and delighted as she was to have her granddaughter to herself for once, she was at a loss as to how to keep her occupied. It was a welcome relief when Nikki herself asked Petunia if they could go to the playground down the street. Her parents had taken her there before and she was itching to go again.

When they got there, Nikki asked, "Grandma, can I go play on the swings please?"

"Oh, you're such a polite little thing! Of course you can." Petunia said, and watched admiringly as her granddaughter trotted off.

Nikki swung herself for a while (a fact that Petunia was quite proud of—_some_ children her age still needed to be pushed by their parents) as Petunia watched. Then she stopped quite suddenly, looking towards the entrance. Petunia looked and saw a small family enter the playground. There was a young man and his wife, who was holding a baby girl, and a small boy around Nikki's age. The boy raced over to the swings as his parents sat down on a bench nearby. He began introducing himself to Nikki.

"Hi. I'm Silas." he said importantly. "What's your name?"

"Nikki." she replied.

"Oh." he said, not in the least bit interested in what her name was. "Well, so you know, I'm the highest swinger in the neighborhood. My family and I live just down the street, so I come here a lot to practice."

"I'm a good swinger too." boasted Nikki.

"Oh yeah? Betcha can't swing as high as _me_." He looked at her expectantly.

"Bet I can. Bet I can swing _higher_." Nikki challenged.

"Really? What'd you say your name was?"

"Nikki."

"Yeah, that's right. Knew it was something 'icky'. Icky Nikki!" the boy sneered.

Petunia was about to get up and tell the boy off when Nikki said, "Well, Silas isn't such a nice name either, is it?"

The boy reddened—she seemed to have struck a nerve. "Let's swing then." he replied.

The two children began to swing. The boy wasn't lying; he was quite fast in achieving a high height. But he was no match for Nikki. As he got higher, she got higher, The harder he pumped, the harder Nikki pumped. At last, it seemed that neither child could go much higher.

"Looks like," the boy puffed, "we're even!"

At this, Nikki gave an odd expression. Her eyes flashed and the corner of her mouth twitched upward. Her face had a determined look to it, and her overall appearance was of someone who was about to win, like a cat just about to pounce on a mouse, or a poker player who knows that their opponent has a losing hand.

On the upward swing, she kicked her legs out straight and she went so high into their air, it looked as if she was vertical.

Petunia gasped. The parents of the boy were looking at Nikki, who was now swinging normally once more, with wide eyes and open mouths.

Petunia, whose heart was racing, calmed herself down by taking slow, deep breaths. "She's just got strong legs." she told herself. "Yes, that's it."

She looked at the parents of the boy, who were still looking dazedly at her granddaughter. "Got strong legs, doesn't she?" she said nervously, this time out loud.

"Er…yes…" said the man, who tore his eyes off Nikki to look at Petunia.

Nikki, however, was looking at Silas, who was quickly regaining his composure.

"Looks like I won." said Nikki, smugly.

"Yeah, well, I dare you to _jump_ from that high." he goaded her.

Nikki raised her eyebrows. "Why? So you can see me fall and get hurt?"

"_I_ do it, from my highest point, and _I_ don't get hurt. Here, watch!"

They both started swinging again. When Silas got to the highest height he could muster, he flung himself off and landed, hard, on the pavement, stumbling forward to catch his balance.

"See?" he shouted. "C'mon! Or is icky Nikki too _scared_?"

"Am not!" she cried and she swung higher.

As soon as Petunia realized what was going on, she shouted, "Nikki! NO! Don't jump!"

But it was too late—Nikki had launched herself from her swing and was flying through the air. But she didn't land as fast as she should have and when she did, she touched down quite lightly.

Nikki was grinning from ear to ear.

"Told you I could do it." She said to a stunned looking Silas.

The familiarity of the scene seemed to hit Petunia like a train.

"Are you all—all right?" she asked Nikki, unsure.

Nikki turned to face her grandmother. The sun hit her hazel eyes, and they shone green.

"I'm fine Grandma." she said with a little giggle.

She could have very well said Tuney and Petunia wouldn't have known the difference.

It was then that Petunia knew, with a dreadful certainty, that her granddaughter was a witch. This fact and what it meant suck into her as she fell, in shock, to the asphalt.

"Grandma?" asked Nikki worriedly.

It was the last thing that Petunia heard as she slipped into blackness.

**Well? What do you think? Please send me your reviews. Should I change anything? Did you think she would find out differently? I'd love to hear from you! **

**~Ginnygirl87**

**P.S. Sorry for the delay in posting this. I wanted it to be just right. Plus, my brother was visiting who I don't get to see much, so I had to put the writing on hold for a little while. I'll try to crank out the next chapter faster! **


	5. Chapter 5

**Notice: I do not own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling does. P.S. I REALLY appreciate reviews and opinions.**

**I apologize for not updating this in a while. Life has gotten in the way! Hope you enjoy the new chapter, and expect more to come soon.**

**Ch. 5 Scenes from the Subconscious **

Images swam before Petunia's eyes in a murky, disjointed manner. However, they seemed real enough that she felt she was actually there. A flower opened and closed its petals in the palm of a young girl with red curly hair. Swinging with this same girl. A greasy haired boy coming up to her and calling her a witch. Watching the two talk together about a magical world in which she was not invited. Receiving a letter confirming this fact. Burning with jealousy as she watched her sister ride away, secretly longing to go with her. Never treating her with kindness again.

And then—running with her in a field, trying and failing to catch up with her.

"Wait!" she screamed. "Don't leave me! I'm sorry Lily. I'm so sorry. Please! Wait!"

But she disappeared into the mist, her red curls flowing behind her.

Petunia stopped, knowing that she wouldn't be able to follow her. She sank slowly to the ground, then buried her face in her hands and cried.

"I had so much I wanted to say to you," she whispered.

"Don't cry Aunt Petunia," said a small boy with disheveled black hair and green eyes. But Petunia ignored him. When he persisted in comforting her, she pushed him away and turned her back on him. He was replaced by another small child, who placed her hands on her face.

"Grandma," she whispered. Petunia didn't look at her. "I'm sorry if I scared you. I didn't mean to." Petunia turned her face away.

"Tuney." Petunia sat up and stared as Nicole was transformed into Lily. "Why must you carry your grudge against me on to everyone else that reminds you of me?" she asked.

"I don't—I don't know," said Petunia, staring at her sister in disbelief.

"Think about it," said Lily, knowingly.

"I guess it's because…" Petunia sighed and looked down for a moment. Then she stared directly into her sister's vibrant green eyes. "I'm angry with you. For always abandoning me. As a kid…when you went off into your world and left me behind…and then when you died. There was so much left unsaid, and so much of a void where our relationship should've been. I carry that spite with me," she paused. "And it's all because of that stupid magic and your dangerous, strange little world!" she yelled. "It's what tore us apart and it's what killed you, Lily."

"But you don't know that world. You never let me in to share what I could of it with you." Lily replied.

"Oh I'm sure its just marvelous—God knows how much I wanted to be a part of that world—but it was your _world_ that killed you! I'd rather be in my safe, normal little world where I can't be hurt. Although—I was hurt anyway, wasn't I?" Petunia said.

"Well, your nephew has made it a lot safer of a place than it once was. With no help or support from you, I might add," said Lily stiffly.

Petunia nodded, too ashamed to say anything in response.

"Truth be told" said Lily reluctantly, "I suppose I'm partly to blame for the treatment of my son. I'm sorry that I caused you pain and bitterness. I can assure you that it wasn't on purpose."

"Oh God, Lily!" exclaimed Petunia. "It's not your fault at all!" she sighed. "It's my fault for carrying my bitterness with me for so long. I…forgive you—although it's me that needs forgiving."

Lily hugged her, then gave her a hard look.

"All will be forgiven," she said. "But you must promise me—promise me Petunia! That you will embrace your granddaughter. She is—just like us. Proud. Stubborn. And magical."

Petunia just looked at her sister. "It's true then." she said, more as a confirmation than a question.

"Yes," Lily replied. "She is a witch. Like I was."

Petunia cried silently. "How will we ever understand each other? How can I let her go into a world of unknown things, never knowing if she will be hurt or killed or…"

She looked at her sister. "I'm going to lose her. Just like I lost you."

"It doesn't have to be that way, Tuney," said Lily emphatically. "Let her share her magic with you. Embrace it, like Mom and Dad did. And more importantly, embrace _her_. She is still your granddaughter. Nicole Petunia."

Petunia was scared. She held on to Lily's hands, trembling.

"Do it for me Tuney. Make everything right between us."

Before Petunia could respond, Lily was fading away, and bright lights were taking her place. A new image was forming. A nurse was standing above her.

"Where am I?" she asked in confusion.

"Hello Mrs. Dursley. It's good to see you awake. You're in Westbrooke Hospital. You had quite a nasty fall there, but you're going to be fine."

**So what should happen next? Tell me what you think and I may give your ideas consideration! Also, I have decided on a house for Nikki. It's going to be…nope! Not going to tell you! I know, I'm evil. Lol. Hope you enjoyed Chapter 5! Reviews, please!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Notice: I do not own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling does. I appreciate reviews and opinions. Also, I may be splitting this story into another once Nikki gets to Hogwarts. **

**The Aftermath**

Petunia had been laying in her bed for quite a while before she noticed the small figure huddled up in a chair by one side of the bed, her eyes closed in a restless sleep.

"Nikki?" she asked gently, at which the girl snapped awake and immediately knelt beside her bed.

"Oh Grandma! I'm so sorry. It's my fault that you fell isn't it? If I hadn't gone so high…it scared you! I'm sorry."

Petunia thought that she'd never seen anyone look at her so sheepishly. Her heart melted a little in response. But instead of forgiving her, she asked "How did we get here?"

"Silas' mum and dad brought us in their car after you fell." Petunia must've looked confused, because she then said, "Silas was the boy at the park, remember?"

Ah, yes. Silas, the dark-haired boy on the swings who had antagonized Nikki enough to make her reveal her secret.

"Yes, I remember," she whispered.

"I'm sorry Grandma. Mum warned me not to do anything out of the ordinary…"

"Your mother knows about this?" Petunia asked, outraged. "Does your father know?"

"Y-yes. He knows what I can do."

Petunia couldn't believe it. Her own son had decided not to tell his mother that his daughter had magic.

"They were scared, I think," said Nikki. "I don't know why…except that you fell. I should have been more careful."

Petunia knew why. They knew how much she and Vernon detested magic. Dudley had seen the way they had treated Harry.

"I'm sorry," Nikki said again. "I hope you can forgive me. How are you feeling?"

Fortunately, Petunia didn't have to answer, for just then Vernon came into the room, followed by Dudley and Carol.

"Mum!" said Dudley. "How are you? What happened?"

"I fell," was all that Petunia decided to say.

"Are you alright dear?" asked Vernon.

"Yes, I'm perfectly alright. There's no need to be so concerned. Dudley, why don't you take Nikki out into the hall with you and she can explain what happened."

"Okay Mum." Dudley said. Petunia knew by the look on his face that he suspected that it had to do with his daughter and her magical abilities. He looked very apologetic.

"Petunia…" Carol started, but Petunia immediately hushed her.

"We'll talk about it later."

"What's going on?" asked Vernon.

"Nothing dear. I wonder- did you talk to the nurse on your way in? Did she say when I might leave?" Petunia said, trying to distract Vernon from the conversation that had just been avoided with Carol.

"Yes, the doctor had some tests done and they are looking at them now. If it's a good verdict, then you can go home," said Carol.

"Good, good." Petunia replied, grasping for something else she might say.

"Vernon, perhaps you might go and find a cup of tea for Petunia. What do you think?" Carol asked tentatively.

"Would do you say? Would you like a cupa?" Vernon asked Petunia.

"That would be lovely," said Petunia, who was not at all thirsty for tea. But it would be a welcome excuse to get her husband out of the room.

"Alright then sweetie," Vernon sighed. He wasn't used to doing things for his wife, but these were extenuating circumstances.

As soon as Vernon left the room, Carol started blubbering. "What happened? Did Nicole do something in front of you? What…"

"Hush Carol." Petunia said sharply. Bring Dudley in. Leave the girl outside.

"Alright," said Carol quietly. She then got up and brought Dudley into the room.

"Close the door." Petunia said to Dudley as he came in, Nikki looking in from the hallway.

"So. We have another _witch_ in the family. When were you planning to tell me about this?

o~*~o

It had been a long time since Harry had had a nightmare. After the war, he'd been plagued with them, seeing people die over and over again. They weren't limited to those who had actually died, either. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and the rest of the Weasleys were murdered in so many of them. Once he'd even seen his children dead from the hand of Voldemort. These types of dreams involving his children increased when James had started school last year. And, as always, he would wake up in a cold sweat with Ginny by his side, comforting him. He was glad of the nightmares' absence in recent months.

It was unexpected, therefore, for him to wake up with such a start tonight. But this nightmare (if you could call it that) was different. It started in the sitting room of the Dursley's house at Privet Drive. He was listening to his aunt and uncle argue about something, soon realizing that it was about him. "I want to make myself absolutely clear. I will not have that boy treated like he's something _special _just because he's able to do…_magic,_" his aunt was saying, spitting out the last word. "I was willing to give the boy a chance but," she shook her head slowly, "he's too much like her, Vernon. And he threw that toy at Dudders. No—_he_ won't get the same treatment as she did. My parents were always doting on her. No, in this family, it's the _normal _child that's going to be treated as the special one."

He then had everything the Dursleys had done to him over the years replayed in front of him. The insults, the yelling, the cooking and cleaning…everything. As he crawled back to his cupboard, however, there was someone else there. A little girl. Nikki. She was sobbing.

"If only…I didn't have magic…they would still love me," she cried.

Harry didn't know what to do. "There there. It's okay." He sighed. "They love you more than they ever loved me." Nikki looked up at him.

"Why?"

"Because," Harry thought for a moment. "You are their son's daughter, and you're named after Petunia. I'm just the child of a sister of whom my aunt was always jealous. Why would they care about me?"

Nikki just sat there, staring up at him. "You're still family," she said simply. "Plus…I think they do care for you, deep down. At least Grandma does."

Harry shook his head. "She's never shown it."

"I bet she wanted to though," she sighed, and Harry thought about a time not all that long ago when his aunt seemed to be on the verge of expressing something to him when she was leaving the house before the war. His thoughts were interrupted, however, by Nikki saying "What's so great about being magical, anyway? My own Grandmother hates me."

And then Harry was transported to the Hogwarts Express where his mother and young Snape were talking. 

"Tuney h-hates me. Because we saw that letter from Dumbledore."

"So what?"

She threw him a look of deep dislike.

"So she's my sister!"

And then the scene seemed to pause, except for Lily. "I wish…I wish she could've come to. Everything would've been alright if she'd had magic too," she sighed.

Then, she turned to Harry, no longer a girl but an adult. "You have to watch over Nikki, Harry. This is going to be really tough for her. Petunia's rejection really hurts, as you and I both know. The time is coming when she'll know what Nikki is and when she does, Nikki is going to need a supporting relative. Something that you never had growing up." She paused. "Petunia is going to need time to heal from the pain and shock this revelation is going to cause. But in time I believe that everything will be alright. It's about time the bond between her and I was mended." She looked away for a while, then turned back to Harry. "Nikki is the key to repairing and healing the bond that jealousy and spite has destroyed. Help her in any way you can. Remember this."

Before she faded away Harry shouted after her. "Wait! Mum!" Lily Potter turned and smiled at her son. "We named our daughter after you. I thought you should know."

"I do know. She's beautiful Harry. I wish I could be there in person. But as you already know, I'm there in spirit. Always," and with that, she disappeared, and Harry woke with a start.

The next day, the Potter's phone rang. This was such a seldom occurrence that it nearly scared them all to death when it started ringing. Ron and Hermione and their kids, Rose and Hugo were over. Ron turned to Harry. "Isn't that your felytone thing?" he asked. Lily looked at him for a moment, then shouted, "it's the phone! It's Uncle Dudley or Aunt Carol!"

"They're not our aunt and uncle," snorted James. "Dudley is dad's _cousin_."

"So what?" shouted Lily as Harry answered the phone with a brief hello.

"Harry! It's Dudley. Listen, something terrible has happened. Apparently Nikki did some magic while Mum was watching her today at the park. Well, Mum fell and hit her head and ended up in the hospital."

"Oh no," Harry breathed, stunned. "Is she okay?"

"Yeah, yeah she's fine. She's agreed not to tell Dad, thinks it's a bad idea. But Harry…she's not at all happy about the magic. I don't think she's going to accept it very well. She was regarding Nikki indifferently, harshly even. I don't know what to do."

It was then that Harry remembered the dream from the night before. "You have to watch over her Harry…Petunia is going to need time to heal from the pain and shock this revelation is going to cause…Nikki is the key to repairing and healing the bond that jealousy and spite has destroyed. Help her in any way you can. Remember this."

He remembered it alright. And he was going to do everything in his power to help Dudley's little girl. The image of her sobbing in the cupboard under the stairs came into his mind.

"Don't worry Dudley. She'll come round. In the meantime, why don't you bring Nikki and Carol to our house for a little visit? I want to have a little chat with you, and with her."

**So? What do you think? Should Petunia have treated Nikki better after her dream with Lily? What should happen next? Keep the comments coming! The more comments, the sooner I publish the next chapter.**

**Also, just to clarify, since someone out there is probably wondering…when Nikki was born, Lily was 3 ½ years old, Albus had just turned 6, and James was 7. Now that Nikki is 5, Lily is 8 ½, Albus has just turned 11 (he'll be going to Hogwarts in the fall!) and James is 12. (That also means that Nikki will be a first year student when Lily is in third year, Albus is in fifth year, and James is in sixth year.) **


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